Kidnapped sheiks are freed

Suicide bomber targeting police recruits kills 29

Steven R. Hurst, The Associated Press

Updated 10:00 pm, Monday, October 29, 2007

BAGHDAD -- A suicide bomber rode his bicycle into a crowd of police recruits in Baqouba on Monday, killing at least 29 people in a province that has become a battleground among U.S. forces, al-Qaida militants and Shiite radicals.

A group of Shiite and Sunni clerics, meanwhile, was rescued one day after they were kidnapped in the capital after meeting with the government to discuss how to coordinate efforts against al-Qaida in Iraq.

In a reflection of the extraordinary complexity of Iraq, the U.S. military blamed a Shiite militant for the kidnapping, in which one of the sheiks was said to have been killed. The military did not reveal its evidence, but has claimed that so-called rogue Shiite groups are doing everything possible to stop Iraqis from joining U.S. forces -- even in the fight against the Sunni al-Qaida in Iraq.

Suicide bombings, viewed most often as the work of al-Qaida, have taken a mighty toll among police and army recruits and are carried out to discourage Iraqi men from joining the country's struggling security forces.

Police and hospital officials reported at least 19 people wounded in the attack in Baqouba, the capital of Diyala province 35 miles northeast of Baghdad. Mohammed al-Kirrawi, a doctor at the Baqouba general hospital, said most of the victims were struck by ball bearings packed in the bomber's suicide vest and that the hospital lacked equipment to save many of the wounded.

One of the wounded recruits told The Associated Press he decided to join the police force only after his father was killed in sectarian violence and he was left as the large family's sole provider.

"This was an al-Qaida operation, and they were after both Shiites and Sunnis," said Saadulden Mohammed, a 25-year-old Shiite, who spoke to a reporter as he was receiving a blood transfusion.

"I was standing at the end of the platoon. Suddenly I saw explosion and fire. I would have been killed if I were standing with my Sunni friend. He died. We had breakfast together today," sobbed Mohammed, who was wounded in the back and legs.

Akram Salman, a 22-year-old Sunni, said he, too, was among about 60 recruits waiting outside the police station for a day of training. He declared the bombing an inside job because the suicide attacker penetrated heavy security surrounding the police camp without being searched.

The kidnapped tribal sheiks were also from Diyala province. Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said four kidnappers were killed and six were wounded in the rescue operation. He did not say who carried out the raid.

Reports kept changing on how many sheiks were involved. By late Monday, al-Askari and other officials said eight sheiks were kidnapped and seven freed.

Police found the bullet-riddled body of one of the Sunni sheiks, Mishaan Hilan, about 50 yards away from where the ambush took place, according to an officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

The U.S. accused Shiite militia leader Arkan Hasnawi of the kidnapping. Hasnawi's breakaway Shiite fighters have battled al-Qaida for control in Diyala since the terrorist organization moved into the region and sought to make it a headquarters.

Also Monday, a U.S. brigadier general was wounded in a roadside bombing in northern Baghdad, the military reported.